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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Baigan Ka Bharta: Eggplant Mash: Pressure Cooker Method

Did you notice the white and blue bowl? It’s a new purchase
for just 25 pence each-great buy isn’t it? I can’t stop myself when I see blue,
white and flowers. What did you do on the long weekend?

Today’s post is Baigan Ka Bharta, a very popular Punjabi
north Indian dish. Baingan in English is known as aubergine, eggplant or
brinjal and bharta means mash. There are many ways to make begun ka bharta but
the most common is to smoke or roast begun on open charcoal fire, peel the
burnt skin and mash it with fork. If you have less time in hand do take a look
at my Microwave Baigan Ka Bharta.

Even though I love and prefer the burnt method but Mr.
Husband doesn’t like that smoked taste and if that was not enough recently his
sister told him the incident when she saw a huge worm inside the eggplant. Imagine
you roast the brinjal and there is a worm inside, which you will mash and use
in your bharta-eww, yuck! So these days
I prepare bharta using pressure cooker or as some call it the boiled method.

Let me tell you, this is a super easy and a quick method.
You don’t have to clean the mess on the hob that aubergine leaves when you
roast it and the taste is just awesome. Trust me you have to try this
method-period! So you need to peel the aubergine, chop it into rings, put in
pressure cooker and cook it on high heat till you hear one whistle. Don’t worry
if you don’t have pressure cooker, just boil the chopped brinjal in the pan
full of water, cook till it gets soft, discard the water and yeah that’s it.

Like authentic baigan ka bharta I too like to use ghee (Indian
clarified butter) and lots of garlic, but feel free to use oil and less garlic.
I use some whole spices as well and garam massala is a must ingredient in this
recipe. Bharta or bhurta is served as side with makke ki roti but this can be
served as a dip or spread as well.

We like to spread thick layer of baingan ka bharta on any Indian
paratha, roll it like a cigar and bite into. If like London you are having
sunny yet cool days then this spicy and garlicy baigan ka bharta is always a
good idea. So, on weekend I made the complete meal methi moong daal, simple
steamed rice, jowar ki roti and this bharta.

Author: Shweta Agrawal

Recipe type: Side, Dip, Spread

Cuisine: Punjabi, North-Indian

Serves-2-3

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants/baigun

1 medium size onion chopped finely

2 medium size tomato chopped finely

8 cloves garlic chopped roughly

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds/dhaniya

1 dry red red chilli

1 bay leaf/tej patta

2 tablespoons ghee/oil

1/4 teaspoon cumin/jeera

2 pinch asafoetida/hing

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

1/2 teaspoon garam massala (recipe here)2 green chillies slitted

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped finely

Method:

Wash and peal eggplants. Chop into rings and pressure cook
with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt on high heat for one whistle.
Release the pressure and strain the water.